LifeWatch ERIC Presentation at University of Cyprus

LifeWatch ERIC Chief Executive Officer, Christos Arvanitidis, gave an online presentation to the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cyprus on 3 March 2021. The Zoom session was recorded and provides a convenient overview of LifeWatch ERIC’s mission, recent developments and what it offers to the scientific community studying the impacts of climate change in biodiversity and ecosystem research.

Dr Arvanitidis, who previously worked at Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, explained that research infrastructures do not do the research themselves, they supply the means for others to pursue their research. LifeWatch ERIC is a European consortium that provides e-Science research facilities so that we can all arrive at a deeper understanding of biodiversity organisation and ecosystem functions and services. In particular, the infrastructure allows access to:

  • Open Data, also known as FAIR-compliant data, through innovative technologies;
  • Reproducible analytics, so that workflows can be verified; and
  • Mobilised communities, helping scientists to work across disciplines around the globe.


The seminar was introduced by Dr Vasilis Promponas, Head of the Bioinformatics Research Laboratory at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cyprus, whose research interests include large scale comparative genomics, a field that stands to benefit from the tools and service available through the LifeWatch ERIC portal. The University of Cyprus is a public research university established in Nicosia in 1989, which offers a range of courses to over 7000 students.

Please click here to access the CEO’s presentation.

Bulgaria

The Bulgarian National Distributed Centre is represented by the  Agricultural University-Plovdiv.

To know more about how Bulgaria contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Spain

The Spanish National Distributed Centre is supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Regional Government of Andalusia and the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority (Ministry for Ecological Transition-MITECO). Moreover, Spain is the hosting Member State of LifeWatch ERIC, the location of its Statutory Seat & ICT e-Infrastructure Technical Office (LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities). 

To know more about how Spain contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Slovenia

The Slovenian National Distributed Centre is led by the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU). It focuses on the development of technological solutions in the field of biodiversity and socio-ecosystem research.

To know more about how Slovenia contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Portugal

The Portuguese National Distributed Centre is managed by PORBIOTA, the Portuguese e-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity. Led by BIOPOLIS/CIBIO-InBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, PORBIOTA connects the principal Portuguese research institutions working in biodiversity.

To know more about how Portugal contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Netherlands

The Dutch National Distributed Centre is hosted by the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam. Moreover, The Netherlands hosts one of the LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities, the Virtual Laboratory and Innovation Centre.

To know more about how The Netherlands contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Italy

The Italian National Distributed Centre is led and managed by the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and is coordinated by a Joint Research Unit, currently comprising 35 members. Moreover, Italy hosts one of the LifeWatch ERIC Common Facilities, the Service Centre.

To know more about how Italy contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Greece

The Greek National Distributed Centre is funded by the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology and is coordinated by the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, in conjunction with 47 associated partner institutions.

To know more about how Greece contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Belgium

The Belgian National Distributed Centre makes varied and complementary in-kind contributions to LifeWatch ERIC. These are implemented in the form of long-lasting projects by various research centres and universities distributed throughout the country and supported by each respective political authority.

To know more about how Belgium contributes to LifeWatch ERIC, please visit our dedicated webpage.